Sony IP mini dome crafted for trains and buses surveillance

t’s a duty of every public transport operator to provide an environment that’s safe, secure and reassuring for passengers and employees alike.

Video security is an increasingly crucial part of every journey by train, bus or tram. Customers of all ages often value the discreet presence of a watchful eye in the carriage. And in the event of an incident, staff and passengers alike can expect the support of the authorities when they’re exposed to physical threats, harassment or abuse.

Effective surveillance plays an equally important role for transport operators want to provide a better experience for passengers, maximize service continuity and safeguard revenues. Serving as an effective deterrent against anti-social behavior, it also helps protect staff with powerful documentary evidence in the event of false accusations and other on-board incidents.

Meeting on-board security challenge
Inside the confines of a moving vehicle challenges are big for any video security camera. It’s a tough environment: installation space is typically limited, while vibration, vandals and rapidly-changing light levels are a fact of life.

On-board security cameras must offer a wide field of view to ensure every corner of the coach is covered. And just as importantly, it’s vital to capture crisply-detailed images around the clock. Lighting levels can be challenging and unpredictable – from dark evenings to the direct glare of a low winter sun. And things often change fast: passing suddenly from bright sunlight into the darkness of a bridge or tunnel leaves some cameras temporarily blinded.

And if that wasn’t enough, there’s the threat of unwanted tampering by vandals to contend with, together with dust and water splashes on rainy days or during carriage cleaning.

Presenting clearer pictures, day and night
As a major player in video security, Sony now makes every trip safer for passengers and staff with a specially-designed family of IP network cameras (SNC-XM632, SNC-XM636, SNC-XM637)for use on board public transport vehicles.

Tough, discreet and easy to install, they’re designed for unflinching performance inside the confines of a moving vehicle. The sleek, low profile lines of each mini dome blend discreetly into a bus or train carriage, while serving as a reassuring reminder to passengers that their journey is being monitored.

The wide-angle lens needs fewer cameras for complete coverage, saving on hardware, management software licensing, installation and maintenance costs. Crisp, clear Full HD pictures let you see exactly what’s happening – even at night time or in less-than-perfect lighting conditions.

As an extra refinement, a built-in microphone can be enabled to capture audio for live monitoring, or later use as recorded evidence in cases of criminal prosecution. Attempts to tamper with the camera can automatically send an alarm straight back to a control centre. Built-in video analytics can provide rule-based alerts from object and face detection– helping operators quickly locate incidents in recorded material, contributing to greater on-board security.